Lorraine D. emailed recently asking me how to remove the white chalk lines that she’d used to mark her quilting design. I don’t mark tops often and when I have, the lines are usually gone by the time I’ve finished quilting so this isn’t something that I’ve had to deal with in a long time.
I do know that trying to erase the lines can mar the fabric so I wouldn’t recommend that. Washing can work but isn’t always an option. I suggested shaking it out like a rug, as long as that wouldn’t hurt the quilt. What I could picture in my head was the chalk dust flying out of the quilt. (Hanging the quilt on a line and whacking it with a broom also came to mind but that seemed extreme.)
But Lorraine came up with a better idea:
As I couldn’t sleep one night, I thought of placing it in the dryer with several bath towels, on no heat. I now have an almost perfect quilt.
That is a trick I’m going to remember!
I think it looks perfect as it is :-).
Piece O Cake Blog 
Perfect! I’m a fabric washer. I’ve found that small cuts of fabric wad and curl much less if dryed in a cool dryer, esp. if they are all a similar size. Half way through, if they try to curl, I quickly smooth them on the kitchen counter, fold them and throw them back in. By the time they unfold in the dryer, they are smooth.
Thank you for this great tip. I too will remember this one!
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What a great idea! Thanks for sharing. Heike
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Thanks for sharing!
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Hanging it on a line and whacking it with a broom should be done just to perpetuate that form of “house cleaning”. Have tried to get my daughter to do this to a rug!!
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Thanks for passing this tip along. It worked perfectly for me!
Sharon Moses
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How about using a vacuum? With an upholstery brush or a mattress brush?
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The idea is interesting but I think the movement of the end of vacuum attachment on the quilt combined with the suction might scuff the fabric. If there was a fine cloth in between the vacuum and the quilt, that could help.
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